MOTM: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Ipswich Town

I was sat this afternoon with my two year-old, watching kiddies telly in my Kitchen.

I was thinking about the game yesterday, and one player’s performance in particular.

I heard in the background the announcement of the next show on CBeebies. Some utter nonsense involving mid-thirty somethings dressing up as Pirates, playing Pirate themed games to a chorus of screaming primary school kids.

Why do I tell you this? Because the name of the show awakened in me my search for the perfect adjective to describe a certain players’ performance yesterday.

‘Swashbuckle’ was the show, and swashbuckling was exactly how our on-loan, Hollywood born, afro-permed Marlon Fossey performed. Everything he did was full of commitment and vigour. With flourish.

He invigorated the team, as he threatened to do against Wycombe.

From pressing and blocking their left wing-back Matthew Penney to death until he had to be withdrawn, to making endless lung-busting forays down the right flank to relieve pressure and get us up the pitch, Fossey was enthusiasm personified. A flying, diving header in injury time to clear the ball upfield typified the energy and purpose that coursed through his performance. But this wasn’t headless chicken style energy, the type that gets the fans up for it, but is ultimately futile. Think Josh Vela charging around midfield. Instead this was focused, channelled energy, used in the right areas with pleasing results.

The whole side was ‘on it’, after a nervy first fifteen minutes, with Ipswich controlling the tempo and the ball. They needed to be, too, in a game where we finally came out on the right end of a battle of fine margins.

To a man everyone did their job, and there are a good number who deserve special mentions. Kieran Lee’s second half performance in particular exemplified him at his best; alert, bright, resourceful, always involved and, of course, a touch of the golden variety. One take-down near the touchline was balletically acrobatic.

James Trafford’s authoritative, unflustered and unfussy performance bodes really well, while Gethin Jones defensive diligence and driving runs have been hugely missed. Aaron Morley’s debut illustrated the clever, inventive player that we’ve invested in, while in Dion Charles, we now have a genuine threat in behind, something that, for all Eoin Doyle’s attributes, we have not had since Evatt took charge.

It is prudent for us to have as many strings to our bow that we can muster.

But for someone who set the tone for a very timely team performance and result, Marlon was head and shoulders above.

Onto Shrewsbury, with a renewed confidence and feel good factor back.

COYWM!!